Irritation and Confusion Original Story
by Tylina Vespart
Summary: Original story about a Djinn in the land of Aimun; a hot desert country with several rulers. Some elements of romance, mostly adventure and political, entirely fantasy world. Rating M for potential violence etc at a later date.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Sunlight streamed through the windows of the Berbalen study hall as I frowned over my assignment. As part of my studies for my final year at university I was meant to write a full essay on mortal history and sociology and its applications in modern Djinn society. I tucked my long red hair behind my ear for the fifth time in as many re-reads before sighing and finally looking up from my work to take a sip of the coffee that had been stirring itself for the last half hour. A breath warmed it up again; I can't stand cold coffee. It was then that I noticed that, as I glanced past the door, I was no longer alone in the room. Damien was watching.

Now, a couple of things you should know about Damien before we go any further with this... He's the sort of guy that, try as you might, you can't take your eyes off of. He's arrogant, a show off, refuses to work hard at anything, could pick and choose among girls since he was ten, and has the sort of mysterious bad boy looks most girls swoon over. He used to be my best friend, but when we went to high school then university it got more and more one-sided. In the end, I'd taken to keeping to myself as much as possible and studying alone. I cared about him a lot, probably more than he'd ever find out, and sure as the mortals still think the sun rises and sets around their planet and not the other way around I wasn't about to tell him and put a 'dampener' on his time with the grouplets. The gaggle of girls that always seemed to hang around him that had, if they were lucky, a collective braincell. All very pretty though, I'd give them that. It was still sickening...

At the moment though, he was leaning against the doorframe, watching me lazily with his piercing blue eyes, arms crossed comfortably over his chest. I drank him in a moment, watching the way the light highlighted the slight reddish tint in his very dark brown hair, wondering what it would be like, just for a moment. Then I frowned at him and thought one simple word in his direction, not even deigning to speak it aloud. "What?"

"Be nice." He replied, almost automatically. Which surprised me. It used to be a common phrase for him around me, but he hadn't used it in the last three years. "I just thought I'd come and see the smartest, prettiest girl in class, that a crime?"

My look plainly said it was.

He smiled his dashing smile at me and casually uncurled and walked over. "You need to lighten up Talendra; what happened to all the fun we used to have?"

Gritting my teeth, I ignore that for the moment and manage an icy question that had been bothering me since he showed up. "So what do you want this time Damien?"

He at least had the good grace to look shocked for a moment before replying with a wry smile on his face. "I miss just being able to talk without all this suspicion... But actually I do need some help. You know that paper we have due in tomorrow for the end of term exam? I managed to lose mine while I was out with the guys on the way home last night and I really need some help re-writing it so..."

I was not amused. I hadn't really listened much beyond his admittance of needing help and since then a dustcloud had been forming round my feet and the fists my hands had balled into by reflex. By the time he finally faltered in his little prepared speech I'd prepared one of my own.

"Enough Damien." I said crisply, no longer caring whether or not I bottled my emotions up any more. "You know, I've had it with you? When we left high school to come here we were barely friends any more, you spent all your time with the guys or your little grouplets doing God knows what, and **no I don't** want you to tell me what you used to do, which was all fine and dandy. I just got on with my own life, and yes it hurt that you ditched me but I got over it. For three years you've only shown up when you wanted or needed something from me, we don't talk any more, not even in passing, and yet you think its ok, **still**, to come in here when we're **all** busy and ask me for help with **your** project that **you** lost through your own carelessness? Does that about sum it up Damien or am I missing something vital here?"

He'd just opened his mouth to reply when I'd finished shoving my stuff into my bag and let what I'd really wanted to say out in the open. "And to think, Damien Arnold Sharpe, that I **loved** you and cared about you all this time for what looks a whole lot like **nothing** is more than I'm prepared to put up with now. Its been really nice knowing you, but I'd rather not get hurt more so if you **don't** mind I'm leaving."

And then, just like that, I grabbed my jacket and turned to storm out of the room. My mind was buzzing, I was still far beyond annoyed at him, and my hair was smoking at the ends in rage... and yet all I could do was curse myself for an idiot inside. Then I heard what I'd never ever expected to hear, much less from him.

"I love you too..."


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One - A Long Long Day, In A Near Far Land**

The sun was just rising off to my right, bathing the previously dark lands of the desert below in its glorious amber light. In terms of hours and moments, it probably hadn't even reached the fifth of the day yet, and the land hadn't seen more than the odd lamplight in the last 3-4 hours. Yet, the darkness had been complete enough to cool the sand and allow moisture to collect, moisture which was currently evaporating into a warm, humid haze.

I'd seen it happen many times before, in many different ways, but at its heart they were all the same. Each morning dawned early, each night arrived late, and every day there were more complaints about heat, each night, more about the cold. None of which I felt, or really cared about. At least, I hadn't in a long time.

I ascended to the clouds high above, bursting through one and gasping on the way out, cold moisture refreshing me in ways humans would never understand. Dew glistened on my deep red hair, my subtly tanned skin, my light excercise clothes. Then it too was steamed off me in the heat. Shaking my head slightly I flew back down to the palace far below, narrowing my eyes in irritation at the glare it gave off. The person that told the designer who told the main advisor who told the King that bright white buildings were a good idea ought to be taken out and stabbed.

Then healed and made to clean their blood up before it stained of course.

After alighting daintily on my personal balcony I turned and cast a last glance over the still quiet city. Soon its peace would be shattered by commerce and business, and even her own traders as they did their rounds, aiming to finish before the mid day sun. It was a strange system, one not observed anywhere else in any other sort of land. Yet here it made so much sense that the Prince had seen to its being adopted in each city or town in the Country of Aimun. He was off at a gathering with the Minaelan advisors, from the next country over, to spread the success further.

Privately, I felt he was wasting his time trying to help them in particular. Not that our countries were enemies, not for around two centuries, but there was always an... uneasiness about them. Or perhaps I was, how had he put it? "Allowing my personal feelings of them to interfere with my thoughts as a diplomat."

With a slightly wry smile, I conceded to myself that he was probably right.

"Mistress Talendra...?" Timid still, despite being around me for several months now. Oh well.

"Its ok Charron, I was just collecting my thoughts. Did you prepare the outfit I requested?" I smiled warmly at her, still annoyingly troubled by other concerns but making a concerted effort to put her at ease.

"Yes Mistress, it has been laid out, along with a bath should you require one..."

"Thankyou, Charron. I don't need the bath however, why don't you and the girls make use of it while its drawn?" I paused a moment reflecting. "Actually, that's an order, I wouldn't want to waste the water."

I turned back to my view, getting immediately lost in thought again. I heard her leave, but just barely on the edge of my consciousness. In a few hours I'd have to entertain King Benarron's guests from the South, and before then I'd have to check each preparation personally. Apparently it was important I did so, since anything out of place would be seen as a great insult to the Chekun. It wasn't a duty I relished and already I knew, as I had months before, that today was going to be both long and arduous.

--

"If we're to make it to Kalliene before noon, we have to leave now Sir." If was an old arguement between the Denva and the Chief, and in the past it had taken many forms. Today the Chief of the Chekun was stubbornly saying each of his rites to the sun, each of which took at least five minutes, and he insisted on starting again if he made a mistake.

Damien, the Denva, sighed and once again swept a lock of deep brown hair out of his eyes as he reflected on how frequent an occurence that was.

"There's still six miles left to travel, but if we delay much longer we'll have, at most, five." He added with some exasperation as he turned back to his Chief. He was currently intoning yet another verse, his almost black eyes lidded by dark skin. His headress rested on the rug beside him, still splendid even though the feathers seemed to wilt like the wetland flowers that grew to the West when deprived of water for more than an hour. The Chief's outfit was as plain as always, made of a pale leather that provided some protection from errant knives and darts while at the same time sapping some of his legendary energy in the hotter Northern sun.

Damien on the other hand wore form-fitting dark brown leather. As the official advisor, bodyguard, and adopted brother of the Chief, no one questioned his ability to do so without any visible discomfort. At this moment, his only discomfort stemmed from his inability to convince his family member that it really was too hot to travel after noon where they were going.

He stood and glared, making sure to cast his shadow over the Chief as he did, arms crossed. At length he stirred.

"Damien, you know what happens if I don't complete these." He said patiently, opening one eye to regard him. "There's only another ten to go, we'll make it."

"You know we won't, its not physicall- ARGH!" He'd started chanting again without even listening. Muttering under his breath, the disgruntled Denva turned and stalked out of the main tent.

He grabbed the first warrior he saw and told him to ride ahead and make the King of Ainum aware that they'd be arriving in the evening and weathering the noon outside, and to apologise for any inconvience caused. Then he turned, grabbed his rapier, and stalked back into the tent to sit in the corner and sharpen it while waiting on their wilful ruler.


End file.
